HOLLYWOOD - The theatrical debut of "The Twylight Zone: The 6th Dimension", a parody/tribute to four classic "Twilight Zone" episodes, opens Friday at a studio in Hollywood.Produced by Four Letter Theatre, the show spoofs four episodes of the classic TV series: in "Night Call," a series of mysterious yet enticing phone calls haunt an elderly woman; in "Nick of Time," newlyweds are stuck in a small town where they encounter a fortune telling napkin holder and a bad serving of chicken fried steak; in "A World of His Own," a playwright discovers his magic pen brings his writings to life, for better or for worse; and in "The Hitch-Hiker," a young woman traveling cross country is being followed by an ominous hitchhiker.
"I got into a conversation with a friend about six or seven years ago and we started talking about how each episode of 'Twilight Zone' was almost a perfectly crafted one-act play...except for the issues of locations, special effects, etc.," said David Gallic, writer and director of the show. "Well, that idea stuck with me. Over the years I've heard of companies doing direct stage adaptations of [Twilight Zone] episodes, which is fantastic, but I knew there was more I could do with it. Taking inspiration from Mel Brooks and his loving homage to Frankenstein, I got to work on adapting four classic scripts into comedic parodies."
The show will also feature a mix of real 1950s commercial breaks and original advertisements to help create the authentic feel of the presentation.
Gallic is making his Los Angeles theatre directing debut with this piece. Recently moved from Portland where he worked with the Twilight Repertory Theatre (purely coincidental), Gallic has seen a number of his original scripts produced, including "Off Book," "Bottled Youth" and "The Meat Shall Inherit."
His work "Meatloaf in the Moonlight" won multiple awards at the Strawberry One-Act Festival in New York. He has also directed several shows, including a critically acclaimed production of David Auburn's "Proof."
"I wanted to start in L.A. with 'Twilight Zone' because Rod Sterling's themes and ideas that are apparent throughout the episodes are still relevant today - tolerance, equality, freedom of ideas and expressions, etc.," Gallic said. "But mainly, it was my undying love for all things 'Twilight Zone.' There's still a huge love for it in our pop culture society - three different incarnations of the television series, books, magazines, a freaking ride at Disneyland. It has really left an impact on pop culture in a number of ways, and this is just my way of paying tribute to such a phenomenon."
"The Twylight Zone: The 6th Dimension" plays July 13-28 at a studio located at 520 N. Western Ave. in Hollywood.
Tickets are $20 general admission and $15 for students and seniors. For reservations, e-mail reservations@fourlettertheatre.com.